Overhead valve cover hold-down device



March 17, 1959 w. M CAULEY ET AL 2,877,756,

OVERHEAD VALVE COVER HOLD-DOWN DEVICE Filed March 14. 195s FIG/Z INVENTORS' V Nam-4M4 W. M5 CAu LEY 6*AosEPH A .fianmo-r A o "2n EYs Unimd 8 Patent OVERHEAD VALVE COVER HOLD-DOWN DEVICE Norman McCauley and Joseph J. Schmidt, Willoughby, Ohio Application March 14, 1958, Serial No. 721,413

2 Claims. (Cl. 123-195) This invention relates to engine covers, and more particularly to improved means for clampingly securing the valve cover of an engine of the valve-in-head type.

A main object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved means for clampingly and sealingly securing the cover of an engine of the type having a main block provided with a valve-operating rocker arm assembly at its top portion, the improved means being simple in construction, being easy to install, and being arranged to clampingly engage the valve cover sealing flange over a substantial portion of its length, whereby to evenly distribute the clamping force on the sealing flange.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved clamping bar device for use in sealingly securing the cover of an engine of the type provided with a valve-operating rocker arm assembly at its top portion, the device being inexpensive to fabricate, providing a uniform bearing force on the sealing flange of the valve cover and being durable in construction.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description and claims, and from the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary view of an internal combustion engine of the valve-in-head type provided with a sealing cover secured to the engine block by improved hold-down means according to the present invention.

Figure 2 is an enlarged horizontal cross sectional view taken on the line 22 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is an enlarged vertical cross sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 1'.

Figure 4 is an enlarged perspective view of one of the clamping bars employed in the assembly of Figure 1.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary perspective view of a modified form of clamping bar which may be employed in the assembly of Figure 1 in accordance with the present invention.

Figure 6 is a vertical cross-sectional view, substantially similar to Figure 3 but showing the use of the clamping bar of Figure 5.

Referring to the drawings, 11 generally designates an engine of the valve-in-head type provided with a valve operating rocker arm assembly at its top portion, the rocker arm assembly being covered by a casing 12 having an outwardly extending horizontal peripheral bottom flange 13 formed with the upstanding peripheral vertical flange element 14, as shown in Figure 3. The bottom flange 13 is disposed on a suitable sealing gasket 15 interposed between flange 13 and the top surface of the engine block 16, as shown in Figure 3.

The cover 12 is formed at its side wall portions with the vertical recesses 17. Designated at 18 are respective bar members which are engaged on the flange 13 adjacent the respective recesses 17 and received within the enclosure defined by the upstanding flange portion 14, whereby the bar members 18 are substantially in abutment with the vertical wall surfaces of the cover 12.

Each bar member 18 comprises a first bar element 19 of straight configuration and a second bar element 20 which is formed at its intermediate portion with an outwardly oifset loop 21, the bar elements 19 and 20 being rigidly secured together in side-by-side, face-to-face relationship, as by welding same together on opposite sides of the loop 21. The loops 21 of the respective clamping bars 18 are received in vertical recesses 17. Respective clamping bolts 22 are engaged through the vertical sleeves defined by the loops 21 and extend through apertures in the flange 13, being threadedly engaged in the top portion of the engine block 16. Suitable lock washers 23 are provided between the heads of the bolts 22 and the top edges of the intermediate portions of the bar elements 19 and 20, whereby the lock washers 23 exert clamping pressure on the bar members when the bolts 22 are tightened. The clamping force is transmitted to the peripheral sealing flange 13 and thence to the sealing gasket 15.

The bar members 18 are of substantial length and of substantial vertical height, whereby they are relatively rigid, and whereby the hold-down force developed by tightening the bolts 22 is distributed substantially evenly along the length of each bar member 18. Thus, the clamping force of the bolts 22 is applied to a substantial portion of the length of the peripheral bottom flange 13 of the cover, whereby the cover is securely and sealingly engaged on the gasket 15 and whereby the gasket is pressed tightly against the top surface of the engine block.

As shown in Figure 2, the bar members 18 fit snugly in the space between the upstanding flange element 14 and the vertical wall surfaces of the casing 12, whereby the bar members are firmly held and cannot rotate. Since the loop elements 21 are engaged in the vertical recesses 17, the bar members are held against endwise movement as well as against rotation.

Figures 5 and 6 illustrate a modified form of bar member, shown at 18, which may be used in place of the bar member 18 illustrated in Figures 1 to 4. The bar member 18 comprises a single piece of metal formed at its intermediate portion with a rounded lug 19 receivable in a recess 17 of cover 12. Lug 19 is formed with a vertical bore 20' through which a bolt 22 may be engaged. The bottom of lug 19' is formed with a counterbore 21' in which is seated a gasket 22' of resilient deformable material, such as rubber or the like, which sealingly engages bolt 22 and prevents oil from seeping upwardly along the bolt.

While certain specific embodiments of improved holddown means for sealingly securing the valve cover of an engine of the valve-in-head type have been disclosed in the foregoing description, it will be understood that various modifications within the spirit of the invention may occur to those skilled in the art. Therefore, it is intended that no limitations be placed on the invention except as defined by the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. An engine cover comprising a cover member having vertical wall surfaces and having an outwardly extending bottom peripheral flange, said wall surfaces being formed with vertical recesses adjacent said flange, a plurality of bar members engaged on said flange and substantially abutting the vertical wall surfaces of said cover member adjacent said recesses and having enlarged intermediate portions engaged in said recesses, and respective bolts engaged through said enlarged intermediate portions of said bar members and said peripheral flange to clampingly secure the bar members on said flange.

2. A clamping member for an engine cover comprising a pair of elongated rigid bars, one of said bars being formed with an outwardly offset intermediate loop p01" 0 .a,a77,7so

3 i '4 tion, and means securing the bars tbgether in side-by- References Cited in the file of this patent side, face-to-face relationship, whereby said intermediate portion defines a vertical sleeve adapted to receive a UNITED Ai PATENTS clamping bolt, whereby to clamp said member on the 1,307,711 Tower June 4, 1919 outwardly extending peripheral base flange of an :engine 5 1,737,466 Lynd Nov. 26, 1929 cover. 2,491,085 Burrows Dec. 13, 1949 

